LAVH: pre anxiety and post recovery question

Hi, I am scheduled for LAVH on Jan 18. I am nervous and anxious. Feel like I cant prepare enough to leave my family set up with everything they need while I heal. I first had laparascopic surgery for endo and to remove my fallopian tubes along with a D & C and colposcopy in November. The results came back as dysplasia at which point I went in for a cone biopsy in November. To my doctor's and my own surprise it showed adeno carcinoma in situ along with the severe squamous dysplasia CIN3. We decided to proceed with a total hysterectomy keeping my ovaries. I am nervous about recovery as thos will be my third procedure within two months and healing from the cone has been complicated due to infection. My question for someone whom has had hysterectomy is, how was recovery? And for those waiting for surgery, how are you dealing with anxiety?

The web site helps answers almost any questions. I had a TVH on Dec 19. I am doing well, pain is under control with meds. You will be ok. I had a ruff 2 dayscfrom the anthesia and morphine. BY 2ND DAY was walking halls and eating good. Ask questions here they are very helpful, good luck!

Hope- I had the same surgery you are having done (LAVH on Nov.28th)
I'm still recovering because I ended up needing a 2nd surgery for abscesses. Today , I'm feeling really good and I'm glad that I had this done. I'm getting stronger every day , and I feel like my old but "new" self again ! I still have But that's going down a lil everyday ! There is hope , and I'll that you're surgery will go smoothly , and you'll have a quick but relaxing recovery ! With no more "bumps" in the road ! Remember to pamper the , and sending you much love and to you sister !

I was told over and over and over again that the worst part of this whole process was the WAITING and PLANNING...I honestly didn't believe what I was being told. Truth is, everyone was right. The waiting and trying to cover all my bases before hand was so much harder than the actual surgery and recovery. I am 9 days post op. TAH BSO with a vertical incision. I'm not going to tell you that I haven't had my moments but the reality is so much easier than what I had built up in my head. One thing I will say is for your own peace of mind, stay off the post op side while you are preparing for surgery. I started out trying to "educate" myself as much as possible. All that education turned into terror. I had myself experiencing every single setback, complication, etc. Ask your questions, but don't get wrapped up in everyone else's experiences. We are each unique. What is true for one may not be your truth. Surround yourself with positive people and that which brings you comfort.
I have had my tough days but am looking forward to a bright future.

Debbi - I am so galad that you are doing well. I am happy to have found this website. It helps to have folks understand and care.
Angeleyes - Thanks for the encouraging words and prayers, I will gladly take them all, lol. I am glad to hear that you are recovering well and are feeling like your brand new old self! I can't wait to feel some kind of "normal" again. I will keep you in my prayers as well. I am learning how to pamper the It is not easy, I am used to being the one to do everything and run around everywhere taking care of my kids and grandma. I am blessed to have a very supportive family which is priceless!
Catlady - I understand exactly what you mean about the "educating" yourself. I made the mistake of watching a video of LAVH a few days ago and could not sleep for a good while, lol. I thought it was a good thing to do in order to ask the right questions and gather as much information as I possibly could but I think you could never be 100% ready! I am just trusting God and moving forward. You are 100% right about everyone being unique, my doctor said to me, "with you I have learned to expect the unexpected" Thanks for the advise and I pray you continue to heal and recover while relaxing and pampering the You ladies have all been a great help...glad to finally have found that we have

Hope4Healing -

You are getting some great answers. I just wanted to drop in and let you know that if you havw questions regarding adenicarcinoma in situ (ais) yiu can drop into the Cancer Concerns forum

There ar many knowledgeable, supportive and wonderful ladies there who have walked and are walking your path.

Sending

Thanks Tauruslady, I will definitely drop by!

To "Hope" -- I had almost a month to think about my surgery. I would be doing well, and then I'd begin to freak out, and then I'd do well, and then I'd freak out, etc. It was a roller coaster of emotions! At one point, I talked to my pastor who prayed for me AND I talked to my women's bible study leader who prayed for me, AND I talked to my primary dr who prayed for me, AND about 3 other people who all prayed for me within hours of each other. On that day, I was doing very well. God answered their prayers & that carried me through the day before my surgery ... when I had an all day panic attack. Basically, prayer got me through the waiting part of it.

Recovery was another story. I had numerous set backs. Ones that no one could have predicted, and based on the post-op forum that I was part of (the one set up for all the ladies who had surgery the same week as I did), lots of us had set-backs. We all had different set backs. Each of us go through surgery differently and each one of us recovers differently. There are numerous ladies who sailed through recovery and are better than new. There are also numerous ladies who are still struggling 10 weeks later (that's where we're at now). You can't predict if you'll have set backs, and if so, which ones they'll be. It's hard and you have to take care of yourself. You HAVE to let others run the house (which was hard for the super-mom that I am). You have ONE shot to heal correctly, take it easy.

Prayers for you as you are waiting. If you have more questions, just ask. =)

Hope4healing the anxiety is perfectly normal. I had one month to prepare and wait and worry for my Dvh/Bso. Just do the best to prepare yourself, your home, and your family and it will all work out. Your first priority is to take care of yourself so you will Be as physically prepared as possible. I prayed for God to take care of me and he has. My surgery was 2 1/2 hours and everything went well and no complications. I was feeling better by the end of my first week. I had the normal pain expected after surgery, but my severe pelvic, abdominal, and back pain from my fibroids was gone. I also couldn't believe that my constant need to run to the bathroom was gone as there was no longer a huge uterus pressing on my bladder. Just follow your discharge instructions to the tee. I did and my recovery has went quite well. As previously stated 'we have only one chance to heal.'. I have taken off six weeks for my recovery and feel I have needed it. Best of luck.

Kitkat and bma - Thank you for your advise! I will definitely try to take it easy...I know I will be in pain because I had my tubes removed and was surprised at how painful it was after surgery. The hardest part is letting others take care of the house and my kids because I have always been the one to take care of everything and everyone....I am a little bit of a control freak because my children are chronic asthmatics and it's very difficult not to be on top of everything. It helps to think of it that way "YOU ONLY HAVE ONE CHANCE TO HEAL" I will repeat that to my self over and over again. I "pulled a stitch" after my cone biopsy and am now barely recovering from that because it caused infection and the last thing I want to do is set myself back after the hysterectomy! I am going to be a and let myself be pampered...it's amazing how hard that is to do. I always wanted to have a chance to rest and put my feet up but now that it is necessary I find that it soooo hard to do. Anyway, thanks for letting me rant! this is super helpful because I haven't really been able to find anyone to talk to that totally understands